The Rise of Marm Mandelbaum: From Immigrant to Criminal Mastermind

This chapter chronicles the challenging early life of Marm Mandelbaum, detailing her family's immigration journey from Germany to New York amidst significant hardships. It highlights her transformation from a struggling immigrant in the Lower East Side to a savvy player in the criminal underworld, capitalizing on the economic turmoil of the Panic of 1857. Through her dual life, she forged connections between criminals and legitimate commerce, ultimately shaping her role in some of the era's most notorious crimes.